Cable stringing apparatus and method



Jan. 30, 1962 J. M. EITEL 3,013,998

CABLE STRINGING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed April 22, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOR. Jay M. E ire! A z'torneys Jan. 30, 1962 J. M. EITEL CABLESTRINGING APPARATUS AND METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1960 kwmv mm 3 km Attorneys United States Pater 3,018,998 CABLE STRINGINGAPPARATUS AND METHOD Jay M. Eitel, 239 Frances Drive, Los Altos, Calif.Filed Apr. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 24,149 6 Claims. (Cl. 254-1343) Thisinvention relates to a cable stringing apparatus and method, and moreparticularly to a cable stringing apparatus and method which is adaptedparticularly for stringing cable through trees and on the field side ofpo es.

Heretofore in placing cable or strand on the field side of poles, astationary trailer has been placed near the first pole. Thereafter, witha vehicle of the type described in Patent No. 2,896,750, with one mandriving the vehicle and with another man in the basket, the vehicle isdriven down the road pulling the strand or cable from the trailer to thenext pole. This method of cable placement is obiectionable because witha two-man crew, the trailer must be left unattended. Such an unattendedtrailer is a hazard to small children playing in the area because thechildren are often attracted to such devices. They can be injured by therotating cable reel on the trailer or by movement of the cable as thecable or strand is pulled from the reel. Such a method and apparatusalso has additional disadvantages because as the strand or cable ispulled from the reel, the strand or cable may become slack so that itcatches on certain obstructions. Continued pulling of the cable tightensit and may cause it to snap loose from the obstruction and whip intocars, pedestrians, high voltage power lines and the like which may be inthe vicinity to create a very dangerous situation. In addition, thetrailers utilized with such a method are generally quite costly andrequire considerable time for loading and unloading. It is, therefore,apparent that there is a need for a new and improved method andapparatus for stringing cable.

In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cablestringing apparatus and method which overcomes the above nameddisadvantages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cable stringingapparatus and method of the above character which is particularlyadapted for stringing cable through trees and on the field side ofpoles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cable stringingapparatus and method of the above character in which the cable or strandas it is strung is always in a relatively taut condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cable stringingapparatus and method of the above character in which fewer passes arerequired for stringing a cable.

Another object of the invention is to provide .a cable stringingapparatus and method of the above character in which cable can be strungby a crew of two with utmost safety.

Another object of the invention is to provide cable stringing apparatusof the above character which includes a portable motor operated winchfor pulling the strand or cable.

Another object of the invention is to provide cable stringing apparatusof the above character in which the small motor operated winch iscompletely enclosed so that it can be left unattended.

Another object of the invention is to provide cable stringing apparatusof the above character in which the winch is provided with a tuberunning upwardly from the winch to prevent children and the like fromcoming into contact with the cable.

Another object of the invention is to provide cable stringing apparatusof the above character in which automatic means is provided for placinga predetermined tension on the winch line as it is payed out.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional side elevation view showing theconstruction of the motor operated winch.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view in plan showing the construction ofthe motor operated winch.

FIGURE 5 is a detailed view of the cable tension sensing device which isa part of the motor operated winch. I

FIGURE 6 is a detailed view taken along the line 6-6. of FIGURE 5.

In general, my method for stringing an elongate flexible element such asstrand or cable makes it desirable to utilize certain apparatus. Inparticular, it is desirable to utilize a self-propelled vehicle havingmounted thereon a workmans basket which can be raised and lowered,extended and retracted and rotated about a horizontal axis, and whichalso has mounted thereon reel carrying means adapted to carry a pair ofreels, one of the reels carry ing strand and the other of the reelscarrying cable. Such apparatus is described in my copending applicationSerial No. 9,726, filed February 19, 1960', entitled Apparatus forPlacing Aerial Telephone Cable and Messenger. On such apparatus it isdesirable that brake means be provided so that a predetermined tensioncan be maintained on the cable or strand as it is withdrawn from thereels.

In practicing my method, it is desirable to have a small motor operatedwinch which has wound thereonv a winch line in the form of a relativelylight flexible elongate element and which also is provided with meansfor maintaining a predetermined tension on the winch line as it isWithdrawn from the Winch.

In general, my method consists of the steps of placing the winch at thefirst pole of a pole line upon which it is desired to place a cable. Thewinch line is secured to the workmans basket of the self-propelledvehicle and the self-propelled vehicle is advanced along the pole lineto withdraw the win-ch line under tension. Sheaves are placed on thepoles to support the winch line as it is withdrawn from the winch. Afterthe winch line has been placed on all of the poles, the line is securedto the strand mounted on the reel of the vehicle. The motor operatedwinch is then operated to pull the strand from its reel under tensionand to pull the same through the sheaves as the winch line is withdrawnby the motor operated winch. After the strand has been pulled throughall the sheaves, the end of the strand next to the vehicle is deadended, after which the strand is placed under full tension and the otherend is dead ended. Cable blocks are placed on the strand and theflexible elongate element is withdrawn from the winch by use of theself-propelled vehicle and placed in the cable blocks. The winch line isthen attached to the cable on the vehicle. The cable is then withdrawnfrom its reel and pulled through the cable blocks by retracting thewinch line. The cable is then lashed to the strand and the cable blocksare removed from the strand as the cable is lashed.

The motor operated winch 10 used in practicing my method is shown inFIGURES 2-6 and consists of a framework and, as shown, is affixed to theshaft 16 carried by a pair of bearings 17 afiixed to the framework 11.

Suitable means is provided for driving the reel and consists of anair-cooled gasoline motor 18 which has an output shaft 19. The outputshaft 19 is connected to an electric brake and clutch unit 21 of asuitable type such as one manufactured by Warner Electric Brake & ClutchCo., of Beloit, Wisconsin. The output shaft 22 drives a sprocket 23which drives a chain 24. The chain drives a large sprocket 26 aflixed tothe main shaft 16.

Means is provided for maintaining a predetermined tension on the winchline 29 in the form of a flexible elongated element which is wound onthe reel 14 as the line is withdrawn from the reel. The Winch line canbe formed of any suitable material such as rope or finely wovenstainless steel cable of the same type as the control cables on aircraftto provide a relatively light and very strong winch line which is easyto handle. Such means consists of cable feeling means and meanscontrolled by the cable feeling means for controlling the operation ofthe combination brake and clutch unit 21. The cable feeling meansconsists of a dual threaded shaft 31 rotatably mounted in bearings 32.The shaft 31 is driven by a sprocket 33 afiixed to the shaft. Thesprocket 33 is driven by a chain 34 which is driven by a sprocket 36secured to the main shaft 16.

A carrier 37 is mounted on the shaft 31 and is adapted to be movedaxially of the shaft as the shaft is rotated. It will be noted that theshaft is threaded in such a manner that the carrier 37 will first bemoved in one direction, and then will be moved in an opposite directionso that it will follow the winch line as it is unwound from the reel.The carrier is provided with three fixed rollers 38 which are normallydisposed on one side of the flexible elongate element 29 and a pair ofmovable rollers 39 which are adapted to engage the other side ofportions of the cable intermediate the three rollers. The movablerollers 39 are carried by a yoke 41 which has a rod-like extension 42slidably mounted in portions 43 of the carrier. A spring 44 is providedfor yieldably urging the rollers 39 into engagement with the winch line.A collar 46 is slidably mounted on extension 42 and is provided foradjusting the force supplied by the spring.

The extension member 42 is connected to and adapted to operate arheostat 47. The rheostat 47 is connected to a suitable power supplysuch as a battery 48 mounted upon the framework to control theapplication of energy to the brake and clutch unit 21 in accordance withthe 'tension on the elongate member 29. The rheostat 47 may be of a typewell known to those skilled in the art and includes a wiper element 49and a resistance ele .ment 50.

If desired, alternative means may be provided for maintaining apredetermined tension on the winch line in the place of the meanshereinbefore described. For example, such means can consist of a fluidclutch in place of the brake and clutch unit 21. In place of therheostat 47, a direct mechanical linkage can be connected from theextension 42 to the throttle of the gasoline engine. The gasoline enginecan then be continuously ating parts of the motor operated winch. Amulti-section telescoping tube 54 is mounted on the upper end of thehousing and is positioned in such a manner that the flexible elongateelement can pass through the same. The tube is adapted to be secured toa pole by clamp 56 as shown in FIGURE 2. The lower end of the tube 54 isprovided with a ball joint 57 to permit swivel movement of thetelescoping tube.

The self-propelled vehicle having a workmans basket mounted thereon isdescribed in detail in my copending application Serial No. 9,726, filedFebruary 19, 1960.- For that reason, it will not be described in detailherein. In general, however, it does consist of a self-propelledoperated to apply rotative forces to the reel so that as the winch lineis withdrawn from the reel, the winch line would be withdrawn inopposition to the force applied by the fiuid clutch. The cable feelingmeans feels the tension on the line and controls the throttle of thegasoline engine so that a predetermined tension is maintained, on thewinch line as it is withdrawn from the reel.

The motor operated winch also includes a pair of cup-shaped blocks 51mounted on the framework 11 and which are provided with chains 52 sothat the motor operated winch can be secured to the pole as shownparticularly in FIGURES 2 and 3. A housing 53 is mounted on theframework 11 and serves to enclose all the operwheeled vehicle 61 uponwhich is mounted a lift supporting structure 62. The lift supportingstructure is mounted for rotational movement about a vertical axis. Anextensible boom structure 63 is mounted on the lift supporting structureand is adapted to be raised and lowered about a horizontal axis. Aworkmans basket 64 is mounted on the outer end of the boom structure andcarries a control unit (not shown) by which the operator in the workmansbasket may control his movement. Reel carrying means adapted to carry apair of reels such as a cable reel 66 and a strand reel 67 is mounted onthe vehicle forward of the boom structure.

The practice of my method with the above described apparatus may now bebriefly described as follows. Let it be assumed that it is desirable toplace a length of new telephone cable on a pole line which is already inplace and that it is necessary to place the cable on the field siderather than on the road side of the pole line because the road side ofthe pole line has already been utilized. The crew of two loads the reelsof strand and cable onto the vehicle 61 in a manner described in mycopending application Serial No. 9,726, filed February 19, 1960. A motoroperated winch of the type described herein is also loaded onto thevehicle. The vehicle is then driven to the job site.

As soon as the vehicle arrives at the job site, the motor operated winchis unloaded from the truck by the two men and placed at the first poleand secured in place as shown in FIGURE 2 with the tube 54 extended andsecured to the pole. The winch line is pulled from the tube 54 andplaced through a sheave 71 mounted on the pole by the operator in theworkmans basket of the vehicle. The sheave 71 can be of any suitabletype such as the pole mounted blocks identified by type number G1023manufactured by General Machine Products of Philadelphia, Pa. The end ofthe winch line is then secured to the vehicle in a suitable place suchas on the workmans basket so that the winch line can be pulled by thevehicle. The rheostat control 47 is adjusted to apply the proper amountof braking force to the reel 14. If the fluid clutch is utilized, themotor is started to apply the braking force to the reel.

It should be pointed out that if the Winch line 29 is formed of aconducting material, itis desirable to utilize a small piece of ropeformed of suitable insulating material such as nylon for connecting thewinch line to the workmans basket, Preferably, approximately six feetshould be utilized. This short piece of insulating material is utilizedto prevent injury to the workmen in the event the winch line shouldaccidentally come in contact with a high voltage power line.

After this has been accomplished, one of the crew drives the vehicle,whereas the other of the crew remains in the workmans basket. Thevehicle is advanced down the road and the winch line is pulled undertension from the motor operated winch against the brake unit 21 oragainst the fluid clutch unit if that is utilized in place of the brakeand clutch unit '21. As soon as the second pole is reached, the vehicleis halted and the operator in the workmans basket mounts another sheaveon the pole and unhooks the winch line from the workman's basket andpasses it through the sheave. When the fluid clutch is being utilized onthe winch, the fluid clutch immediately takes up any slack which mayoccur as the Winch line is released so that continuous substantiallyuniform tension is maintained on the line.

To prevent the Winch line from being accidentally dropped by theoperator, a second line of insulating material may be secured to thewinch line and tied to the basket. When the first insulating line hasbeen placed through the sheave and secured to the workmans basket, thesecond insulating line can be released and passed through the sheave.

The same procedure is utilized when the vehicle is advanced to pole No.3. It will be noted from FIGURE 1 that there are trees disposed betweenpoles 3 and a through which the cable must pass. The winch line isthreaded through the branches of the trees by the operator by moving theboom structure in and out between the branches of the trees. The movableworkmans basket makes it very easy to accomplish this. Alter the winchline has been passed through the trees, it is again mounted on thefourth pole in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described. The sameprocedure may be utilized for mounting the winch line on any additionalpoles in the pole line along which it is desired to string the cable.

During all the time that the winch line is being pulled by theself-propelled vehicle, the winch line is maintained under continuousand substantially uniform tension so that it cannot accidentally comeinto contact with brush, cars, power lines and the like. For thatreason, there will be no snapping or whipping of the winch line whichcould readily cause injury to nearby objects and persons.

After the flexible elongate element has been mounted on all of thedesired poles, the vehicle is halted in a position similar to that shownin FIGURE 1. The winch line is then secured to the end of the strand ormessenger carried by the reel 67 on the vehicle. While this is beingdone, the other member of the crew can walk back to the motor operatedwinch. If only the electrically operated brake was being utilized fortensioning the winch line, the gasoline engine is started. If the fluidclutch was being utilized as hereinbefore described, the gasoline motorwould be operating at this time. Then through suitable communicatingmeans such as a walkie-talkie, the two crewmen communicate with eachother. The crew man at the vehicle advises the crewman at the winch assoon as he has completed connecting thewinch line to the strand. Theoperator at the winch then speeds up the engine and causes it to rewindthe winch line and to pull the strand from the reel 67 through thesheaves mounted on the poles.

After the messenger or strand has been pulled through all the sheavesmounted on the poles, the strand is dead ended at the pole nearest thevehicle. However, if there remains a portion of the job in the clearwith no obstructions such as trees between the poles, the brake can beset on the winch and the remainder of the messenger or strand can bestrung on the field side or on the road side of the poles in aconventional manner by driving the vehicle forward from the point beyondthe obstructions. When there are obstructions such as trees between thepoles, the problems are the same whether field side or road sideplacement is being used. It is in such situations that my method andapparatus are particularly useful. As soon as all the strand has beenpayed out or as soon as the end of the job has been reached, the strandis dead ended at that particular pole. The truck or vehicle 61 thenreturns to the winch. The messenger would then be placed under fulltension by suitable means such as a conventional chain hoist and deadended at the first pole. It should, however, be pointed out that ifdesired the messenger can be dead ended first at the winch pole and thenplaced under tension and dead ended at the other end.

After the messenger or strand has been placed under full tension anddead ended, the sheaves are removed and the strand is secured to thepole with conventional hardware. Suitable cable blocks are then mountedon the strand or messenger such as those manufactured and sold byGeneral Machine Products of Philadelphia, Pa, and identified by typenumber 47-P6()32. As the blocks are placed on the messenger, the winchline 29 is passed through the blocks by pulling the winch line with thevehicle 61 in a manner similar to that hereinbefore described. The winchline 29 is also passed through the trees between the poles Sand 4 in asimilar manner. As soon as the winch line has been advanced to the pointwhere the messenger has been dead ended, the vehicle is stopped and thewinch line is secured to the cable carried by the reel 66. The otheroperator again walks back to the winch. The operator at the vehicleinforms the operator at the Winch through the intercommunication systemwhen he should start the winch to draw the cable through the cableblocks by Winding the winch line onto the winch drum.

After the cable has been pulled through the cable blocks by the winch,the winch line is removed and the winch motor is shut off. The operatorfor the winch then climbs in the workmans basket and mounts a cablelasher of a conventional type on the strand or cable. The lasher istowed by the vehicle and lashes the cable to the strand in aconventional manner. As the lashing is accomplished, the cable blocksare removed.

Although my method and apparatus has been described primarily inconjunction with the stringing of cable supported by a messenger, it canalso be utilized with self supported cable, that is, cable of the typewhich is sufficiently strong in tension to support itself when suspendedfrom poles. With such cable the winch line need only be extended andretracted once to pull the cable back to the winch. The cable can thenbe supported directly on the poles.

It is apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a method of cablestringing which has many advantages over conventional methods. Any sizeof cable or strand can be handled with ease and with utmost safety. Wirecan also be strung by my method and apparatus if de sired. The portablewinch makes it possible to maintain a controlled tension on the winchline to eliminate the hazards of whipping into high voltage lines ordropping of the Winch line onto pedestrians causing property damage.

My method and apparatus is also advantageous in that the setup time foreach job will be much less. The motor operated winch is constructed insuch a manner that it can be left unattended with safety. It is enclosedso that children cannot come in contact with any moving parts. The winchline as it is removed from the winch is also protected by thetelescoping tubing so that children cannot come into contact with it.The winch line, since it is relatively light, can be pulled with easeand can be readily maintained under continuous uniform tension so thatit will not coil or whip.

Although the power operated winch has been shown resting on the ground,if desirable, the winch can be constructed in such a manner that it canbe mounted on the pole at a height above the ground so that childrencannot come in contact with it.

I claim:

1. In a method for stringing a cable supported by a strand on aplurality of poles arranged in a pole line, placing sheaves on thepoles, stringing a relatively light elongate flexible element undercontinuous and substantially uniform tension through the sheaves,attaching the flexible elongate element to the strand, pulling thestrand under continuous and substantially uniform tension through thesheaves on the poles by withdrawing the flexible elongate element fromthe sheaves, dead ending one end of the strand, placing the strand undertension, dead ending the other end of the strand, removing the sheavesfrom the poles, attaching the strand to the poles, placing cable blockson the strand, pulling the flexible elongate element under continuousand substantially uniform tension through the cable blocks, securing theend of the flexible elongate element to the cable, pulling the cablethrough the cable blocks under continuous and substantially uniformtension by withdrawing the flexible elongate element from the cableblocks, lashing the cable to the strand, and removing the cable blocksas the cable is lashed to the strand.

2. In a method for stringing a cable supported by a strand on aplurality of poles arranged in a pole line with the use of a small motoroperated winch having wound thereon a relatively light winch line andhaving means for maintaining a predetermined tension on the winch lineas it is withdrawn from the winch, and with the use of a vehicle havingmounted thereon a workmans basket which can be raised and lowered,extended and retracted and rotated about a vertical axis, a pair ofreels mounted thereon, one of the reels carrying strand and the other ofthe rells carrying cable, and means for maintaining a predeterminedtension on the cable or strand as it is withdrawn from the reels, themethod comprising the steps of placing the motor operated winch at thefirst pole in the pole line, securing the winch line to the vehicle,placing sheaves on the poles, pulling the winch line through the sheaveswith the vehicle, maintaining the winch line under continuoussubstantially uniform tension, attaching the winch line to the strand onthe vehicle after it has been pulled through the sheaves, pulling thestrand through the sheaves by retracting the winch line, maintainingcontinuous substantially uniform tension on the strand as it is pulledthrough the sheaves, dead ending one end of the strand, placing thestrand under tension, dead ending the other end of the strand, removingthe sheaves from the poles and securing the strand to the poles, placingcable blocks on the strand, attaching the winch line to the vehicle,advancing the vehicle to pull the winch line, maintaining the winch lineunder continuous substantially uniform tension as it is being pulled,placing the winch line in the cable blocks as the vehicle is advancedpast the cable blocks, securing the end of the winch line to the cable,pulling the cable through the cable blocks by withdrawing the winch linefrom the cable blocks, maintaining the cable under continuoussubstantially uniform tension as it is being pulled 'into the cableblocks, lashing the cable to the strand,

and removing the cable blocks from the strand as the lashing progresses.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein the strand and cable are placed on thefield side of the poles while advancing the vehicle along the road sideof the poles.

4. In a method for stringing a cable supported by strand on a pluralityof poles arranged in a pole line, stringing a relatively light linewhile under continuous substantially uniform tension and supporting thesame on the poles to permit movement of the line relative to the poles,attaching the line to the strand, pulling the strand under continuoussubstantially uniform tension by withdrawing the line, mounting thestrand on the poles, stringing the line while under continuoussubstantially uniform tension, securing the line to the strand to permitmovement of the line relative to the strand, securing the line to thecable, pulling the cable while under continuous substantially uniformtension by withdrawing the line, and securing the cable to the strand.

5. A method as in claim 4 together with the steps of tensioning thestrand and dead ending both ends of the same.

6. In a method for stringing an elongate flexible element on a pluralityof poles arranged in a pole line, placing sheaves on the poles,stringing a winch line under continuous and substantially uniformtension through the sheaves, attaching the winch line to the elongateflexible element, pulling the elongate flexible element under continuousand substantially uniform tension through the sheaves on the poles bywithdrawing the winch line from the sheaves, and supporting the elongateflexible element from the poles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,090,445 Fultz et a1. Aug. 17, 1937 2,120,637 Doorne June 14, 19382,476,953 Bennett July 26, 1949 2,490,032 Cunningham Dec. 6, 19492,494,383 Foran Jan. 10, 1950 2,498,286 Mahnke Feb. 21, 1950

